Trusting You, Trusting Me
by Magick Starr
Summary: How will Jo cope when she loses Sam the moment she finds her? Slash.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Okay, I know I'm overflowing with half finished fics at the moment, but this idea came to me in a dream, and I'm actually finding the ideas coming for this fic a lot quicker than my other, but I will update them soon, I promise!

* * *

Jo knocked on the door to Jack's office; the unexplained summoned ominous in Jo's opinion. Hearing her cue to enter, she pushed the door open, surprised to see Sam huddled in one of the chairs, shaking uncontrollably, tears streaming down her face.

'Shut the door please, Jo.' Jack commanded, conscious of Sam's request that this stays private and aware that someone could walk past at any time.

Adhering to the request, Jo clicked the door shut, looking to Jack. 'What's this about?'

'Can I ask first that you remain… discrete with the information you're about to receive?' Jack asked very formally.

Jo glanced from Jack to Sam, her face sporting a confused expression. 'Of course I will. Jack, what's going on?' she asked hesitantly, a series of frightening possibilities running through her mind.

'Take a seat.' he offered, motioning to the spare chair next to Sam.

Jo complied cautiously, taking a seat next to the blonde, her gaze involuntarily drifting to Sam, concerned for her friend. The blonde looked away, self-consciously curling up tighter in the chair, hugging her feet to the chest. Jo looked back to Jack when she heard I'm clear his throat, obviously about to begin speaking.

'I'd like you to work with me on a… highly sensitive case.'

'Okay.'

'I ask that you don't inform any of your colleagues.'

'Alright.' Jo replied dubiously, having no idea what was about to come.

'It's a rape case.' Jack stated, his eyebrows raised, hoping he wouldn't have to say anymore.

Jo's mind slipped into action quickly, her brain putting the pieces together. She bit down on her bottom lip, turning to the figure beside her. 'Sam.' she whispered softly, the word not intended to escape her mouth. The blonde looked away, a tear trickling down her face.

'Guv, just one question before we start, why me?'

Sam turned to face Jo, reaching out to her hand, gingerly taking it in her own. Jo's head snapped around at the unexpected contact, her eye's meeting Sam's teary blue orbs. 'I asked for you.' She replied, giving Jo a minute to formulate a response.

'Why?' was all Jo could muster. She'd never been terribly close to Sam, they'd argued when she'd first arrived, and yes, they'd since made up, but there was nothing tying the two of them together firmly. Nothing Jo would have thought would lead Sam to request the brunette for a case obviously affecting her on such a personal level.

Sam gulped, a lump formed in her throat. 'You're a good copper… and… I thought, a friend.'

Jo tightened her grip on the blonde's hand, 'Of course I am.' She soothed, a little shocked, but then she did consider Sam very highly herself.

'And, I thought I could trust you.' Sam continued in between sniffs, attempting to fight back tears.

'You can.' Jo replied firmly, giving the blonde a small smile, hoping to provide a little support. Sam nodded at Jo, obviously grateful for the small action.

After looking at the blonde for a little longer, Jo turned her vision back to Jack, flicking between her two colleagues, not really sure who to direct her questions at. 'When?' She questioned, choosing to aim then at Sam.

'Earlier today.' She answered, shutting her eyes briefly, blinking away a few tears.

'I'll leave you two alone.' Jack broke the silence that had descended on the two women, 'I can find out everything I need to know from Jo.' He added, directing his words to Sam, 'I think you need to tell her alone.'

'Thanks.' Sam replied meekly, giving him a small smile as he left the room.

Jo flicked on the small tape recorder Jack had left on the desk, following procedure and recording the interview.

'Do you know who?' Jo continued after Jack left the room, attempting to conceal just how much this was affecting her, hating seeing the blonde in such pain.

'Yes. An old boyfriend, James Ratherson. It didn't end well, he never really let go of me properly, I had to report him a few years ago. He was… stalking me I guess.' Sam closed her eyes briefly, dragging up the memories again obviously affecting her. 'I got an injunction, stopping him from coming anywhere near me. When he broke the terms and approached my house I dialled 999. It's lucky I did because by the time they arrived he was attempting to break in. I was petrified; I'd never felt that vulnerable before. He was sent to prison four years ago, and apparently now he's out. I wasn't informed, which I should have been,' She added sternly, obviously blaming the authorities slightly, and quite rightly so, someone had neglected their duties with disastrous consequences.

'So I wasn't prepared for him arriving at my house at 5am this morning. I opened the door to him, and when I saw who it was, I panicked. I tried to slam the door but he stopped it with his foot.' She fought back a few tears, remaining adamant in a promise that she'd made herself, that she wouldn't let him affect her this much. 'He pushed the door open, and,' Sam paused again, taking in a sharp breath, a tear escaping her eye as she thought back, 'And he barged in, and slammed the door shut. I tried to scream but he put a hand over my mouth roughly, and told me that "I was going to get what I deserved." I was terrified; I couldn't breath properly, so when he told me that he'd remove his hand if I didn't make any noise, I agreed. I got my breathing back to normal, and tried to make for the door, but he stopped me.' Sam let out a quiet pained whimper as she thought back to what happened next.

'He slammed me against the table thing I have in the hallway, and he leaned in closer to me. I could feel his breath on my cheek.' Sam let out a small sob as she recalled even the most minor details, moving her hand up to her face to wipe away the tears forming in the corner of her eyes. Jo squeezed gently on the blonde's hand, their contact still not broken from when Jack was in the room. Sam sniffed, biting her lip gently before continuing. 'He pressed his body up against mine, and, he said that…' She paused again, shutting her eyes tightly, trying to banish the images in her head conjured by her recollection. 'He said that I'd suffer for what I did to him. He said I'd made him suffer and he was going to make me repay him. I said I'd give him all the money he wants if he just let me go.' She stopped again, looking up to the ceiling briefly before turning back to Jo.

'He said that wasn't the kind of payment he was interested in. I, I tried move, um, he still had his body pushed up against mine, but he just held me tighter, he's strong, really strong. Then he…' Sam took a sharp breath in, blinking away the tears in her eyes, moving her hand up to her face to wipe away the ones that had already escaped and were rolling down her cheek. 'He…' she let out a soft whimper again, the brunette pained at seeing the Sam so distressed. 'I don't know if I can do this, Jo.' The blonde admitted quietly, pressing her palms up against her eyes. Jo instantly rose from the seat, kneeling down in front of Sam and taking the blonde's hands in her own. Releasing one of them, Jo brought her right hand up to Sam's face, carefully brushing away the tears surrounding her now puffy eyes.

Jo gulped, pulling the fragile blonde closer to her, wrapping her arms around the teary detective in an attempt to comfort her. Holding the blonde tightly, she reached across to the tape recorder on the desk, clicking it off. 'It's okay.' She soothed, whispering into the blonde's ear. 'It's fine, we can do it later, or even another day.' She offered, not wanting to push Sam too far.

Sam shut her eyes briefly, pulling back from the hug and looking into Jo's eyes. 'I just want protecting.' She confessed before moving forward, lightly brushing her lips against the brunette's. Jo responded to the kiss initially, though pulled back after a few seconds, the blonde left with a confused expression.

'I can't. This isn't what you need right now.'

'Surely I know what I need.'

'You're looking for comfort, Sam, it's natural, but you're looking for it in the wrong way. What you need is a friend.'

'Don't patronise me, Jo.' Sam's voice was harsh; her words cutting through the tense atmosphere like a blade. 'Just tell me the truth, don't make out like you're doing this for my sake. I know what I'm doing, it seems it's you that doesn't want this, not me.'

'No, Sam that's not what…'

'Don't, Jo.' Sam ordered sternly. 'We can finish the interview now.'

'Are you sure you're…'

'Yes.' Sam cut in, looking away from the brunette.

'Okay.' Jo clicked the tape recorder back on, 'What did he do then?' she asked, picking up from where they left off.

'He reached for my trousers. He undid the zip and pulled them down a little way over my hips.' Sam continued, her voice devoid of emotion, promising herself she wouldn't let Jo see her break down again. The only way she was managing to keep her face straight was by imagining she was watching what happened, and that the victim was not in fact her, but someone else. 'Then he… and then he raped me.' Sam concluded, a little emotion returning to her voice and face as she thought back.

'Okay, what happened afterwards?'

'He knocked me slightly, I fell to the floor. I was crying, had been all the time he… he was y'know…' Sam looked around uncomfortably, a few tears returning to her eyes as her façade slipped slightly. 'And he looked down to, he looked disgusted, he said I wasn't as good as he'd imagined I would be, that I was a let down. He just walked out of the house, bold as anything, shut the door and left me crying on the floor.'

'And he gave no indication about where he was going?' Jo attempted to remain professional, but deep down hearing all this was affecting her more than words could describe, the thought that someone had been allowed to hurt Sam in such a way was horrifying. She knew she'd probably just ruined any chance of the two of them ever being together, but then again when she left the house this morning she didn't think there was any chance, so she supposed she was no worse off, but that didn't mean she didn't care for Sam. The idea that someone had made her feel this weak and vulnerable was making Jo feel physically sick, but she knew these weren't things she could let Sam see, not after what had happened.

'No, none at all. He could be anywhere for all I know… he could be… could be doing it to someone else.' She whispered, horrified at the thought.

'Well we've got most of uniform out looking for him, he won't get far.' Jo reassured, hoping to offer some form of comfort to the distressed woman. 'So what did you do next?'

'Er, I stayed there for a few minutes, I guess I was shocked. Once I'd slowed my breathing and could think straight, I got up. I went and changed, and put my clothes I'd been wearing in a plastic bag. I wanted to go and have a shower and just wash the… dirty feeling off me that I was left with, but I knew that I'd need to be examined so I went back downstairs, made myself a drink and sat down on my sofa with it. I must have been there for a while because the next thing I knew it was half nine and my coffee was very cold.' She said with a half smile, trying to lighten the mood slightly.

'Okay, so is that when you came into the station?'

'Yeah, I brought the clothes with me, but I left them in the car because I didn't want anyone to… y'know, see them. I hadn't really calmed down by this time, but I was trying to act as normal as possible when I walked past people in the corridors. I don't think anyone noticed anything was wrong because no one said anything, but then again I did just rush through and came straight to Jack's office.'

'Alright, I think that's all I need.' Jo said, switching the tape machine off before going and kneeling in front of Sam again. The blonde instantly looked away, leaving Jo to reach out and gently turn her head back with a finger. 'Sam don't ever think that I don't care about you.' She whispered softly.

'Then why…'

'I told you, I really don't think this is what you need right now, but I'd like to be a friend to you, if you'll let me.' She added hopefully.

Sam shut her eyes briefly, nodding as she did so. 'Thank you.'

Jo took the blonde into a hug, holding on to her tightly while the woman cried. After Sam had calmed down and pulled away, smiling gratefully at Jo, the brunette rose.

'I better go speak to Jack, tell him everything and get someone to fetch the clothes from your car. Have you been examined yet?'

'No, I came straight here and about five minutes later you were called in.'

'Okay, well, I'll sort that out, get someone to take you down to the hospital and get you checked out.'

'No.' Sam interrupted, 'I don't want anyone else knowing.'

'Sam, you're in no fit state to go along, I could get Nikki, I'm sure she'd…'

'Please.' Sam begged, taking one of Jo's hands. 'I don't want anyone else knowing.'

'Okay.' Jo resolved, seeing Sam's desperate eyes, 'I'll come with you. Then I'll get somewhere for you to stay.'

'I don't want to be alone.' Sam admitted.

'Is there anyone you can stay with?'

Sam shook her head.

'Abi?'

'No, I don't want her knowing, she's got enough to cope with at the moment.'

'Okay, well how about you come back to mine?' Jo offered.

Sam nodded slightly, squeezing Jo's hand gratefully.

'Alright, well let me go and speak to Jack, and then I'll come back here for you and take you down the hospital, take you to your place so you can pick up some of your stuff and well go back to mine. Is there no one else in CID you'll let help on the case?'

'Please. I don't want anyone else knowing.'

'Okay, but if I'm going to be out with you most of the day Jack'll be working on it alone.'

'He can call you if he needs anything.' Sam suggested, knowing she was making things harder but adamant that no one else would find out about how vulnerable she could be.

'Okay, I'll see what he says.'

'Thanks.' Sam whispered as Jo headed towards the door.

'Don't mention it.' Jo said with a slightly smile as she exited the small office. She spotted Jack almost instantly, the concerned male standing with his back to the wall about five feet up the corridor.

'How is she?' he asked quietly when Jo got closer to him, quickly scanning the corridor for any sign of life that could overhear.

'She's shaken up, she's scared and she doesn't want to be alone.'

'Well we could call Abi in.' Jack proposed, thinking for someone Sam had a close relationship with.

'No, she doesn't Abi told, I offered her a bed at my place.'

'Jo…' Jack warned, knowing that she couldn't get too close to Sam.

'She needs a friend right now, Jack, and truth be told, she doesn't have anyone else.'

'Just be careful.'

'I will. I told her I'd fill you in on what she said and then take her down the hospital to be examined.'

'Okay.'

'One problem though.'

'What?'

'She's adamant that she doesn't want anyone else on the case.'

'Right.'

'And to be honest I don't think she'll be in any state to be left alone tomorrow.' Jo added, seeing Jack's face fall slightly.

'You want me to handle the case alone?'

'I'll be at the other end of the phone all the time.'

Jack sighed, knowing that when Jo had something in her mind, there was no arguing with her. 'Okay then, but if I need you in, you come in the moment I tell you to, okay?'

'Yes. Thanks.'

'I think you're right, I think she does need someone with her, that's the only reason I'm agreeing.' He added, a slightly smile on his face, 'She's lucky she has you around for her.'

'Yeah, well, I'm just being a friend.'

'I know, a good one.' He added warmly, a sense of pride filling him as he saw the concern for colleagues between the members of his team, even if Jo was only one individual.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Thanks for the reviews, guys, keep them coming they inspire me to write quicker!

* * *

Jo walked back into the office, surprised to find it empty. Taking a step further in the small room, she noted Sam's handbag still placed haphazardly on the floor, a sense of relief rushing over her as she realised this meant Sam hadn't gone far. Striding out of the office, she headed towards Sam's own one, opening the door, discovering it unoccupied, no signs of recent activity filling it. Heading back out, she went into the busy CID office, her breath becoming a little rapid as she quickly scanned the room and found Sam was not in there either. At risk of drawing attention to Sam's absence, she called for hush, asking if anyone had seen Sam in the past ten minutes. When everyone shook their heads, Jo headed back out and towards the toilets. Finding one occupied, she let out a sigh of relief, calling out Sam's name. She was concerned, however, when the voice of Gina Gold floated over the cubicle door, stating that it wasn't Sam.

Flying back out of the toilets, Jo went to the staircase, taking them two at a time, going into another set of toilets. Finding them empty, she exited them again, heading to the next set, and the next, and the next, all the same, either unoccupied or no sign of Sam. Heading back towards the front entrance, Jo left the station and searched for Sam's car in the car park, relieved to find it still there. Heading over to it, she leaned in, sighing to herself when she found it empty.

Going back to the station, a new sense of urgency rushing over her as she ran out of possibilities as to where Sam could be, she went back up to jack's office, hoping they'd merely missed each other and she was sitting in there now. Flinging the door open, she saw Jack seated at his desk, sorting through a file. 'You seen Sam?' the brunette asked, her breathlessness shown in her voice.

'Not since I left her in here with you, why?'

'Shit.' Jo whispered, frantically rushing out of the office and into the corridor, stopping only when she felt a hand on her arm, preventing her from moving. 'What is it, Jo?' Jack's questioned, his voice on edge.

'I can't find her. I've looked in her office, CID office, all the toilets, her car, she's not anywhere.'

'And no one's seen her?'

'No one in CID, I don't know about anyone else.'

'Okay, well put a call out on the radios, asking if she's been seen in the last ten minutes. She can't have gone far, we were only around the corner when she must have left.'

'Okay.' Jo replied, a lump forming in her throat, her mind racing as to where Sam could be. Jack was right, they'd been just around the corner when she would have gone, they would have heard if she were not alone, right?

Jo rushed back to CID, grabbing her radio from her top draw and putting out an urgent call for anyone who's seen DI Nixon. When reply after reply came back with no sighting, Jo's heart rate quickened again, the brunette rushing back to Jack's office. 'No one's seen her.' she yelled as she flew through the door, a startled looking Jack pacing the small room.

'Okay, go get the CCTV from the front office, custody entrance, fire doors, I want every exit covered, let's find out if she's left the building. Get the CCTV form outside here as well; let's see if she left the office alone. Grab as many uniform as you can to sift through the tapes, it shouldn't tae too long, there's only about fifteen minutes of footage that should be useful, but we've got quite a few tapes to go through.'

'Okay.' Jo replied as she rushed out of the room, heading down to the desk and repeating the list of tapes needed to the flustered receptionist. When they handed a stack across to Jo, she quickly headed off with them, grabbing Leela and Will as she past them in the corridor, settling them down in the TV room and instructing them to look for Sam on the tapes. Rushing back out, Jo pulled a couple of other uniform's in as well, grabbing a couple of tapes herself and sitting down with the one for Jack's office. She watched as she exited the room, her breath quickening as more and more minutes passed by on the clock and there was no sign of Sam leaving. Her heart stopped dead as she saw herself go back in the office and then go back out again when she found it empty. Rewinding the tape again, Jo sat through the same footage, still no one else entering or leaving the room in between Jo leaving Sam, and finding her gone. 'Okay, er, keep looking guys, I've got to go and see the DCI.' She commanded shakily, leaving the room with a sense of fear.

As she entered Jack's office once again, the DCI must have noticed the change in her, because he instantly sat her down, fussing over her. 'She didn't leave the office.' Jo whispered after a while, her voice shaky.

'What do you mean?'

'I looked through the tape for outside here, it shows me leaving, me coming back in ten minutes later, but no one else coming or going.'

'So she didn't leave?' Jack asked, confused.

'She must have, but not through the door. Jo scanned the room, her eyes resting on the window, a lump forming in her throat once again, the brunette shakily rising and heading over to it. Hesitantly, she looked down, letting out a soft whimper when she saw what was below them.

Jack cautiously walked over to the window, joining Jo in looking down; he let out a sigh of relief when he found nothing down there.

Jo stared out the window for a few seconds longer, her brain clicking into action. 'Are there any workers here at the moment?'

'Eh?' Jack turned to face her; his mind still on the fact Sam wasn't lying dead ten feet below them.

'Anyone that wouldn't have looked suspicious fixing a ladder to the side of this building, Jack?'

'You think…'

Jack was cut off by the impatient brunette, her mind a few steps ahead of Jack's. 'It's the only other possible exit to this office, Jack. Sam didn't just disappear into thin air, she must have left some how.'

'Okay, I'll get maintenance on to it, see if anyone's contracted at the moment, or has a contract that's just ended and might not go unnoticed if they're still here. You go and find Gina, we're going to have to report Sam as missing.'

'She's gonna need to know why Sam was here, isn't she?'

'Yeah, I'm sorry Jo, I know Sam didn't want anyone to be told, but we need to have the bets possible chance of finding her, and for that to happen we need people to know every detail. Get Mickey and Terry, send them around to James Ratherson's house, we need to find him. If he's there, get them to bring him in.'

'Sam's not made her official statement yet, Guv, we've got nothing to arrest him for?'

'Right now, Jo, I don't care if they plant stolen goods in his house before they arrest him, we need him here where we can keep an eye on him.'

'Guv.'

* * *

'Mickey, Terry.' Jo called breathlessly across the office, having flown through the door seconds earlier. The two males instantly rose when they saw her, heading over to her quickly, her sense of urgency evident to anyone in a five-mile radius.

'Jo.'

'Get over to this address,' she ordered, handing them a slip of paper, 'I need you to arrest the owner, James Ratherson.'

'What's he done?' Mickey asked taking the paper from Jo and quickly reading the address before handing it to Terry, figuring out where abouts it was in his mind.

'Rape. But the statement's not been made yet.' Jo added.

'We can't then.'

'I know. Not legally, anyway.'

'Jo…' Mickey sounded cautious, knowing what he was being asked to do.

'We need him in custody, Mickey.'

'Can't you just get the vic to make a statement?' Terry asked dubiously, not aware why Jo was so flustered, but having seen her fly in and out of the offices a few times today, obviously something wrong.

'She's gone missing, that's why we need this guy in custody.'

'Okay, who's the woman?' Mickey questioned, sighing to himself as he thought of all the rules he'd be breaking were he to go along with this.

'Come in here.' Jo instructed, pulling the two of them into the DI's office. 'Sam.' she answered when the door was shut and they were out of earshot from the rest of CID.

'DI Nixon?' Terry asked, concerned.

'Yes. She came in and did an interview with me this morning, I left the room to speak to Jack, ten minutes later I went back in and she was gone. I've checked the CCTV; she didn't leave through the door. We're thinking maybe a maintenance worker or someone posing as one took a ladder up to the window and got her that way.'

'You're certain she didn't leave through the door?' Mickey checked.

'Yep, I watched the tape twice, no one came or left apart from me. Her bag was still in the room, her car's still in the car park.'

'And she definitely didn't leave of her own accord?'

'Not through the door she didn't, no.'

'Okay, so what do you want this guy arrested for?'

'Jack's told me he doesn't care if you fit him up, as long as he's brought in. I take it that means he'll cover your backs if there's any repercussions.'

'Okay, we'll get over there now then.' Terry concluded, heading for the door.

'Oh, guys, wait. Sam didn't want anyone knowing about what happened to her, so I'd appreciate it if you kept this between ourselves.'

'Yeah, no problem.' Mickey replied, following Terry to the door.

Jo paused for a second in the small office, regaining her breath and her thoughts before straightening herself out and leaving the small room, bumping into Gina on her way out. 'Inspector Gold, I was just coming to find you.'

'Sorry Jo, I'm a bit rushed at the moment, can it wait a couple of hours.'

'No.'

'Jo what's up?' she asked, taking in Jo's appearance fully, the detective's cheeks flushed slightly.

'In here.' She said, pulling Gina into the office she'd just left.

'What is it, Jo?' Gina asked, concerned, never having seen the DC like this before.

'It's Sam, she's gone missing.'

'Missing? When?'

'About ten minutes ago, maybe a bit more.'

'Where from?'

'Jack's office, I've checked the CCTV, she didn't leave through the door.'

'Window?' Gina asked, her brain coming up with possibilities quicker than Jo's had earlier.

'Checking that now.'

'Okay, what was she doing in Jack's office.'

'Reporting a rape.'

'She know the victim?'

'She is the victim.' Jo stated, not wishing to make more of a fuss of it than she had to.

'Oh. Have you got the attacker in custody?'

'Terry and Mickey are on their way to arrest him now.'

'Okay, have you got her statement, can I take a look at it?'

'She hasn't made it yet.'

'What's this guy being arrested for then?'

'Anything.' Jo sighed, taking a seat. 'Jack's told them they ca set him up if needs be, we just need to know he's not going anywhere near her right now, she's petrified of him.'

'Well, anyone would be of their rapist.'

'No, this is different. He's an old boyfriend that never let go. She had an injunction out against him years ago. He broke it, was arrested and sent to prison. Must have been let out but Sam wasn't informed. He turned up at her house this morning and forced his way in. the thing is Sam told me she felt vulnerable around him from way back, I mean before he was sent to prison.'

'Right, so he's scared the living daylights out of her, then, has he?'

'She was a wreck when I interviewed her. He's not scared her, he's destroyed her.'

'Poor woman.' Gina commented absentmindedly, thinking about what her friend must be going through right now.

'Yeah. So it's all the more urgent that we find her. I need to know she's safe.'

Gina paused for a second, noticing the DCs slip of the tongue. 'You really care about her, don't you.'

'She's a friend.' Jo responded defensively.

'No, she means more than that to you.' Gina added, looking the woman up and down. 'We'll find her for you.' She said, resting a hand supportively on Jo's upper arm, squeezing her bicep.

'We're not… I mean… Sam and me… she kissed me… earlier… but I stopped it… I'd be taking advantage right now.' Jo admitted, impressed at Gina's ability to coax Jo into opening up.

'Probably for the best right now I guess. She likes you, though.'

'How do you know?'

'It's obvious, Jo.' Gina answered with a chuckle; 'She has done for ages.'

Jo sighed to herself. 'And the one time she plucks up enough courage to tell me I push her away.' She whispers, more to herself then Gina.

'She'll understand. You were doing it for her sake, just give her time, she'll see you care about her.'

'If I can find her.'

'You will, Jo, you're a brilliant copper, and the fact you care about her will only make you more thorough in your desperation to find her. You won't leave any stone unturned until she's back with you, I know that.'

'I wish I could be so certain.' Jo muttered. 'Thanks, Gina, well I better get out there looking for her.' She said, heading for the door.

'If you need anything, Jo, you know where I am. Even if it's just someone to talk to.'

Jo forced a slight smile onto her face. 'Thanks.'


	3. Chapter 3

Sorry for such a gap between this and the last update, computer problems amoungst other things.

* * *

'Guv, any news?' Jo asked hopefully as she looked up to her superior officer, the brunette curled up in the chair opposite his desk, her position similar to the one that Sam had adopted earlier that day.

'Sorry, Jo, no. You really should be getting home. You being here isn't doing you any good.'

'Please, if I'm not putting you out I'd like to stay.'

'I really think you need to go home and sleep.'

'If I went home I wouldn't sleep, at least if I'm here I can know as soon as there's any updates.'

'I can call you up if we find out anything.' Jack suggested, knowing deep down his DC was too stubborn to go when she didn't want to, but felt he should try to get her home at least.

'I still won't sleep.'

'All right, you can stay here for a bit. But on three conditions.'

'What are they?'

'You're not to get involved with the case, you're to try and sleep, and if I tell you to go home at any point you trust me to know what's right and you go.' He replied firmly, exercising his authority slightly.

Jo contemplated it briefly, sighing slightly before resolving, knowing Jack wouldn't offer her a choice on those terms. 'Okay.'

'Good.'

'Thanks Guv.' She called as he exited the office, pausing slightly before slumping back into the chair; her eyelids involuntarily fluttering shut.

* * *

Jack stood over the brunette, placing a hand on her shoulder as he shook her lightly, whispering her name in attempts to coax her out of her slumbering state.

Jo stirred, feeling a hand on her shoulder and hearing her name being murmured quietly into the air. Forcing her eyes open, she looked around, initially unsure of where she was; though it didn't take her long to remember. Bringing her vision upwards, she saw Jack standing over her, the brunette instantly pulling her tired body up into a sitting position. 'What's happened? Have you found anything? Have you found Sam?' she asked hopefully, her mind reeling from the dream she'd been woken from, vivid images of being re-united with Sam still flashing before her eyes.

'We haven't found her, Jo.' He replied, knowing better than to answer the other parts of her questions first and leave that one until last. 'We've found the jacket she was wearing discarded about half a mile from here.'

Jo gulped, images of Sam being forced to remove it threatening to overcome her. 'Where exactly was it found?'

'The Clive & Hope Industrial Estate.'

'Have you searched the place properly, I mean, could she be there?'

'We've done a top to bottom search, Sam, there's no one there, the place is abandoned.'

'What about any other signs that she's been there. It could just be a coincidence, the jacket might not be hers.'

'We found a blonde hair on the jacket, it's at the lab now but it looked like Sam's. They've also found a small purse sized picture of Abi and a baby, we're presuming it's Jared, but it's definitely Abi in the photo.'

'You think she dropped it?'

'No. I think it was too conveniently placed for it ton be dropped. Either she's put it there in the hope it'll lead us to her…'

'Or?'

'Or this guy is playing mind games with us and has put them there himself.'

'Any luck on finding Ratherson yet?' Jo asked hopefully, having completely forgotten to check if he'd been found.

'Afraid not. We're pretty certain he's got her.'

'Any witnesses?'

'No. We've put out a public appeal on the news with both their pictures on it, but so far it's drawn a blank.'

'Any family, friends, anyone who could know where this guy's taken her?'

'Family's dead. As far as we can tell this bloke's a loner, no friends that we can find, neighbours say they've never seen anyone but him go in and out the house.'

'I guess that's to be expected if he stalked her though, isn't it?'

'Not everyone's the perfect stereotype, Jo.'

'I know that, but generally people with a wife, children and large group of friends don't go around stalking police officers they once dated. What about work? Has he got a job?'

'Garden centre. They say he hasn't been in for a couple of days and they can't get hold of him.'

'Okay.' Jo paused, racking her brain for any other possibility. 'Local pub?'

'Nope. He's not a regular anyway.'

'Any meetings or club type things he attends?'

'Not since before he was put in prison.'

'Counselling?'

'No.'

'Parole officer?'

'He was let out at the end of his sentence.'

'Okay, um, what about any form of internet type support group?'

'We've checked his computer, no internet access, all he uses it for is putting on pictures… mainly of Sam.' he added cautiously, not sure how much he could tell Jo without the brunette freaking out.

'What does that mean?'

'There's just some photos of her on his computer, that's all.' He lied, seeing her already becoming agitated and knowing she wouldn't handle what they'd found very well.

'No, it's more than that, I can tell. What kind of photos?'

'Nothing to worry about.'

'Jack, you promised you'd tell me if you got any developments. Please, tell me what's on the pictures.'

'There's some from years ago. I guess it was when they were still dating because she's posing… lying on the bed, wrapped in sheets, that sort of thing.' He remarked, watching Jo's eyebrows rocket.

'She doesn't seem the type.' The DC commented.

'No, well, I guess people aren't the same person in work as they are outside of it. There's also some more recent ones.'

'Oh?'

'Her in the shower. Her in bed, asleep. Her in the car. Her at work. The list goes on.'

'So this guy's definitely been stalking her since his release then, Guv?'

'Yeah.'

'She'll be okay, won't she?' Jo asked timidly.

'You know I can't answer that truthfully, Jo. But she's strong, we both know that, there's no way she's give up without a decent fight.'

'But what if she's all out of fight?'

'Sam's never out of fight.' He said with a chuckle.

'You didn't see her earlier. She completely broke down in there, Guv. She's not in a good frame of mind, I wouldn't be surprised if she just gave in.'

'She wouldn't do that, Jo. Not Sam.'

'Wouldn't she?' Jo questioned dubiously, her eyebrows raised.

'Get some rest, Jo. I'll tell you if there's anything else.'

'Guv.'

* * *

Jo found herself awoken by a hand resting softly on her shoulder; the brunette being dragged kicking and screaming from her dreams. When she re-discovered her awareness, she looked up, immediately concerned. 'Guv, what is it?' She asked breathlessly, her heartbeat rapid as she saw the pained expression on her superior's face.

'Uniform have just been called out, they've found a body.'

'A body? Sam? Are you telling me she's dead?'

'Jo, calm down, we don't know who it is yet, Nikki and Emma have taken the call but it's only just come through, they're not there and until they do get there, we don't know who it is.'

'Well where was the body found? Take me there.'

'Jo, I don't think it's a good idea for you to go there. It was a small waste yard in North London. Officers from that district are already on the scene, the only reason Nikki and Emma have gone to the scene is because…' The male faltered, a lump forming in his throat as he silently battled with what to tell the concerned DC.

'Because what?'

Jack paused; deciding it was probably better to tell her the truth and hope the fact he was keeping her informed would stop her from heading straight to where the body had been found. 'It's an IC1 female. Blonde hair. About 5'3", petite.'

Jo's heart rate bungee jumped, plummeting instantly before raising rapidly, her breathing hitching as she thought through the information Jack had just revealed. 'It can't be her.'

'We don't know yet, Jo, I'm sorry.'

'What about identification, was there nothing on the body?'

'No, nothing. She was wearing a baggy white t-shirt and a pair of jeans.'

Jo froze, shutting her eyes briefly before gulping. 'That's what Sam was wearing.'

'Yes.'

'I want to go there. Take me there, please.'

'Jo, I really don't think it's…'

'Please, I'm not asking you as my superior, I'm asking as a friend, I need to know if it's Sam or not.'

'Even as a friend, Jo, I don't think it would do you any good.'

'Then I'll take myself.'

'You're in no fit state to drive.'

'Then take me. I'll get there one way or another, you know I will.'

Jack paused, not doubting for one second his officer's sincerity at that comment. 'Okay, but it's on my terms.'

'You can tell me them in the car.' Jo replied as she stood up, pulling on her coat that had been discarded on the floor, the brunette rushing past Jack, leaving him little choice but to follow.

* * *

'Jo! Jo, slow down.' Jack called as he chased the brunette; Jo having ran out the car about five seconds before it actually stopped.

Jo froze, standing over a body bag, her breathing heavy from both anxiety and charging from the car at about three hundred miles an hour. Looking down, she gulped, about to ask to see the body when a figure caught her eye, a blonde officer heading towards her. Her heart skipped a beat as she saw the blurred figure rushing her way, the brunette's heart sinking as the frame became clearer, Jo watching as a plain clothed Nikki hurried towards her. 'Is it her?' Jo gasped, her voice cracking as tears threatened to flood her eyes.

'We don't know.'

'What do you mean? You know Sam, you should recognise her.'

'You should sit down.' Nikki suggested.

'I don't want to sit down, I want to know why you don't recognise your colleague.' Jo shouted, pent up emotion being released in a raging fire aimed at the sergeant.

'The face is badly disfigured.' Nikki admitted, pausing to give the information time to register with Jo. 'We can't identify the body. We've taken dental samples and we're just waiting for the results.'

Jo swallowed hard, fighting back the tears welling dangerously close to the edge of her eyes. 'I want to see the body.'

'I don't think it's a good idea. It honestly in unrecognisable.'

'I know Sam, I saw her earlier, I know what she was wearing, I might be able to identify her.'

'I'm not sure. The dental tests shouldn't be long, it would only speed it up by an hour or two, I don't think it's worth you having to go through seeing the body for that.'

'Please, Nikki, I need to know.'

The blonde sergeant looked to Jack, the male having caught up the brunette a while ago and finding little choice but to stand behind her and listen to her desperate pleas. When he nodded, Nikki paused, shutting her eyes briefly. 'Okay.' She murmured as she signalled for the body bag to be opened.

Jo let out a gasp as the distorted face was revealed to, moving a shaky hand up to her mouth, concentrating on the body before shutting her eyes tightly, bringing both her hands up to her face as she fought back the tears.

* * *

_Is it Sam? Well, you know what you'll have to do to find out… yep, that's it, review! _


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Short but necessary. I think you'll see why.

* * *

'It's her.' Jo gasped, her voice hoarse as she gulped back as many sobs as she could manage, her body shaking as she moved her hands slightly to look at the body once again.

'We can't be sure of that yet, not until the dental records are compared.'

'I know her, Nikki, it's her.'

'You can't be certain.'

'It's her.' Jo mumbled, silent tears streaming down her face.

'Are you sure?'

Jo forced a nod, shutting her eyes again, not able to look at the limp body any longer. 'It's her.'

Nikki paused, unsure of how she could comfort the brunette. 'Can you shut the bag, please.' She requested, knowing Jo wouldn't want to have to look at the body again. The blonde placed a hand on Jo's shoulder, shocked as the simple action managed to reduce the brunette to loud sobs, the sergeant instinctively wrapping her in a hug.


End file.
